


Mistlefoe

by GutterBall



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Christmas fic, First Kiss, Fluff and Crack, M/M, and preceded by a punch, but getting there, not really much of one, so maybe not full-on chaleigh yet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-12
Updated: 2016-12-12
Packaged: 2018-09-08 07:07:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8835079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GutterBall/pseuds/GutterBall
Summary: From this post* on Tumblr. If anyone's gonna mistake something as harmless as mistletoe as "fight me, asshole", it's Chuck Hansen. Unfortunately, Raleigh's the only one in reach.*linking to Gothams_Only_Wolf's addition to the story, because it's perfect and everyone should read it, too





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lizlybear](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lizlybear/gifts), [Gothams_Only_Wolf](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gothams_Only_Wolf/gifts), [disorient_me](https://archiveofourown.org/users/disorient_me/gifts).



> There was no other name for this story. I tried. I really, really did.
> 
> Also, I'm dedicating this one to murphyhatesme -- who hoped for another story by the end of the year; the longer work in progress is eluding me at the moment because my head is full of snot, so... here! -- and to bamfcoyotetango, who carried on with it and made it that much sweeter, and to confidence-rise, who tagged me on it because she's evil but awesome like that.

"Uh-oh! Look who's under the mistletoe!"

Raleigh looked up and grimaced. Shit. Who the hell put that up there? His first guess wasn't Mako, who'd just pointed it out, but Tendo, who used to--

The punch out of nowhere leveled him, and before he quite knew what happened, he was on the floor, staring up at the mistletoe that had apparently decked him.

He blinked.

"Chuck, what the hell is wrong with you??" Mako knelt by Raleigh's head, lifting him enough that the blood flowing from his nose didn't go down his throat. The bolt of pain was monstrous. "No one said you had to kiss him! I was kidding!"

Chuck, who had indeed been standing in punching -- and kissing? -- distance when the demon plant was pointed out, put down his dukes and frowned, looking genuinely perplexed. Raleigh didn't want to believe that expression, but the pain in his face and the ringing in his ears didn't allow him the luxury of mistaking it.

Chuck was fucking confused.

"Oi, that's... why the fuck would I kiss him?"

_Jesus. Christ._

Mako frowned, shifting so Raleigh could lean back against the crook of her elbow instead of being twisted up awkwardly off the floor. "That's what you do when you stand next to someone under the mistletoe, Chuck. You kiss them."

Despite himself, Raleigh snorted a laugh. Which was unfortunate, because it sprayed a splatter of blood down his shirt. "Maybe Australians think a punch _is_ a kiss." His lip was too busy swelling up to twist into a smirk, but he tried. "It might explain our entire acquaintance, actually."

"Oi, sod off!" Instead of confused, the little bastard now looked awkward and furious. "We know the fucking difference, yeah?" Rolling his shoulders, he settled his stupid leather jacket back in place. "But you don't kiss a wanker under mistletoe, thanks. You fight the fucker."

Raleigh blinked. Mako blinked.

"The fuck are you lot staring at?"

Heedless of the blood or the pain or even the ringing in his ears, Raleigh sat up fully and frowned. "Who told you that?"

"Uncle Scott. Called it 'Mistlefoe' and always punched whatever poor sod happened to be caught there with him. Saw him do it at a party once. Started a helluva row."

Raleigh wanted to laugh. He wanted to laugh really, really hard. But the kid looked earnest, if still a bit awkward and twitchy. Just stating the facts as he knew them.

"Oi, stop looking at me like that! What the fuck else would it be for?"

His mouth hurt when it twitched. "Did you never ask Herc?"

Oops. Wrong question. Thunderclouds built between ginger eyebrows and ginger hair. "Why the fuck would I? Not like we ever had time for useless Christmas shite."

Mako cleared her throat, but Raleigh was already in apology mode.

"Sorry. Didn't think that one through. Just..." He sighed, wanting to rub his aching head but not wanting to make it worse. "I have no idea why your uncle would tell you that, but it’s not actually true. You don't even have to believe us. Look it up for yourself."

He couldn't help but grin painfully, even as he swiped his sleeve gently under his nose. He should probably try to stop the bleeding, but it seemed to have already slowed considerably.

"How many people have you punched just for standing in arm's reach?"

Massively awkward again, the kid kicked a boot at the floor, his eyes on the tip of it. "None. Not many people stand close enough, yeah?"

Well, shit. Now he couldn't even be mad.

Suddenly, Mako jerked to her feet. "I'll go get an ice pack."

And just like that, she was gone. What the hell?

Sighing, Chuck reached behind his back, pulled out an old but apparently clean rag, and squatted down to offer it. Raleigh took it warily, but it did feel like it had been washed recently, so he applied it as best he could. He didn’t bother wiping up so much as applying pressure.

"Sorry about that."

His face hurt. His whole head hurt. But that was a genuine apology from someone who clearly wasn't used to apologizing, so he sighed and shrugged.

"Easy mistake to make."

Chuck snorted. "Sure it is. Probably should've suspected the source at some point. Just... never seemed to come up, yeah?"

"It's okay. I get it." But he would always be impulsive. Even a kaiju war couldn’t beat it out of him. "My face doesn't, but I do."

Thankfully, Chuck just rolled his eyes and shifted to stand. Then, he paused, eyed Raleigh warily, and...

...oh.

Leaned forward to kiss him very gently, lingeringly, on the temple.

A grunt and a twist to his feet, and he was gone. Just like that.

Raleigh stared after him, confused and aching and... amused? Maybe? Either way, he was still staring down the hall with Chuck's rag wadded up under his nose when Mako returned with an ice pack.

She didn't say a word.

Probably for the best.

 

**THE END**

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Viscum Album (Good Ol' Mistletoe)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12783126) by [Gothams_Only_Wolf](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gothams_Only_Wolf/pseuds/Gothams_Only_Wolf)




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